1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an actuating device for securing the camshaft of a engine of a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle, in a start position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to be able to start the engine of a vehicle, the camshaft must be in a predetermined start position. It may happen that the motor is abruptly shut down while the camshaft is in a displaced camshaft position, for example, upon accidental release of the clutch at increased rpm (revolutions per minute) when driving away from a stop at a traffic light. Since the camshaft adjustment is occurring at increased rpm, the camshaft adjuster does not have sufficient time to reach the start position corresponding to the low rpm. The engine is thus turned off with the camshaft being in the displaced position. This has the result that the engine cannot be started or can be started only with difficulty.
It is an object of the present invention to configure the actuating device of the aforementioned kind such that the camshaft, after turning off the engine, reliably reaches its start position.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the camshaft is moved into its start position by a positive control.
In the actuating device according to the invention, the camshaft is moved by a positive control into its start position and is secured therein. This ensures that the camshaft, when turning off the engine, reliably reaches its start position. The engine can thus be started again without problems. By means of the positive control it is also achieved that the camshaft reaches the start position required for starting the engine even when it is in a different position as a result of, for example, the engine having been killed accidentally at increased rpm. When the starter in this case is actuated, the positive control achieves that the camshaft will reach the start position already after a short period of time.